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[Group Notification: Member "Hellish Blizzard" has started a livestream]
As soon as Fubuki returned to her own world from Mariejois, she jumped into the chat group and started a livestream.
『Earth's Cancer』: Fubuki-nee, you moved again?
『Hellish Blizzard』: …Why'd you say "again"?
Fubuki raised a brow at Chika Fujiwara's message.
『Earth's Cancer』: Because—just from what I remember—this is already the second time you've moved since joining the group…
『Hellish Blizzard』: Well, it's only been two times, and who knows when the third'll be.
Fubuki shrugged, not denying it.
The first time had been after some much-needed intervention from Merlin, Chika, and a few others. They helped her realize how unrealistic it was to try and prove herself to her sister by leading a ragtag group of B-class and lower-ranked heroes called the "Blizzard Group."
After disbanding the group, she moved out of her old apartment with the only member who stuck around—Lily. With her promotion to A-class and the Hero Association's higher subsidy, she upgraded to a townhouse.
The second time came after a massive power boost: she'd drawn the Stand Star Platinum in the group gacha, trained in Hancock's world to master Armament and Observation Haki, boosted her physical stats, and unlocked her gene lock potential with the T-virus thanks to Veyron.
With her strength skyrocketing and her rank bumped up to S-class, the new subsidy let her move again—this time to a standalone villa with its own little garden.
"…We can catch up later. She's here."
Veyron, who had come with Fubuki, suddenly looked up toward a certain direction, his expression calm but alert. "No wonder you said growing up under your sister's watch was… uncomfortable."
"She didn't use to be this intense," Fubuki said, trying to defend her. "Back then, she just left a psychic marker on me—something to sense when I was in mortal danger and keep me alive if anything happened."
But that subtle psychic mark from years ago had now evolved into full-on surveillance.
It wasn't entirely unjustified though—Fubuki's strength had increased drastically in a short time, and she'd been making waves by hunting down monsters to climb the hero ranks faster. Her sudden rise had definitely drawn attention.
"So, let me get this straight…" A petite girl with curly green hair hovered in the air, wearing a black dress with a high slit that swayed in the wind. Despite looking like a loli, she radiated sheer pressure as she glared down at them. "You disbanded that little playgroup, moved house—twice—and even tried to dodge my radar… all for this pretty boy?"
"…Didn't know I had the face for a 'pretty boy' role." Veyron casually raised a hand, and Fubuki's makeup mirror floated into his grasp with a flick of his telekinesis. He glanced at his reflection and gave himself a nod.
"A psychic, huh?"
Tatsumaki—the "Tornado of Terror" who, despite looking like a child, was actually older than her curvy little sister—frowned at his display. "You two seriously think some minor power-up gives you the right to act cocky?"
"Well, that depends on how tough you really are," Veyron said as he stepped aside with a gentlemanly gesture. "Also—just to clarify—it's not me who's challenging you. It's her."
"Oh?"
Tatsumaki turned her sharp gaze to her foolish little sister, who stood beside Veyron, staring back without a hint of fear. Tatsumaki raised one hand—and with a thought, her psychic force slammed down on Fubuki, increasing in intensity with each passing second.
"Well then, let's see if your performance matches all that arrogance," she said coldly.
"I promise, I won't let you down, Sis."
A pulse of psychic energy flared around Fubuki, shattering Tatsumaki's grip with ease. She rose into the sky and flew toward the outskirts of the city.
"Let's take this outside. Wouldn't want you to lose control and wreck the place—civilians still live here, you know."
Wait—she's worried I'd lose control and destroy the city?
Tatsumaki was so irritated by Fubuki's attitude she actually let out a small laugh—one of those laughs, the kind you make when you're mad and amused at the same time. Her eyes narrowed, and with a cold glare at Veyron, she shot into the sky after her sister at blinding speed.
But just as she was catching up, Fubuki suddenly accelerated again, widening the gap between them. Tatsumaki clicked her tongue and pushed herself even faster.
If it weren't for their powers buffering the force around them, the speed they were flying at would've broken the sound barrier right beside them, creating shockwaves.
---
"Whoa~"
Back on the ground, Veyron let out a soft whistle as he watched the sisters take off.
Even with the slight distortion created by psychic movement—where things looked like you could see them clearly, but actually couldn't—he still couldn't help but notice Tatsumaki's and Fubuki's incredibly bold outfits.
Oh man, a feast to the eyes.
"Hmm.. wait!"
Veyron said as golden light shimmered faintly in his eyes.
Glancing around, he confirmed he was still the only one who had been blessed with this particular view. That settled it—he'd definitely be giving Fubuki a private heads-up after the fight.
Yeah, he was a bit of a perv—but that was exactly why he wanted to keep this little moment all to himself.
He wasn't a creep, he was a cultured perv. There's a difference.
"Um… Miss Fubuki and the other one—where'd they go?"
A girl with long black hair tied in a high ponytail—bangs covering the right side of her face, a single light blue highlight, and a white lily flower pinned atop her head—leapt down from the second-story balcony and landed in front of Veyron.
She was dressed in a fitted black suit.
"They've gone outside the city to battle for control of the family throne," Veyron said casually, pointing toward the direction the sisters had flown.
"Want to tag along and watch?"
"…I can go too?"
Lily—the girl ranked 74th in the B-Class of the Hero Association, known by the alias "Lily of the Three Section Staff"—lit up at the offer.
"If you want to see it up close, just follow me," Veyron replied with a grin.
As he spoke, he opened a space door in mid-air, its swirling energy revealing the battlefield on the outskirts where Tatsumaki and Fubuki were already clashing.
The moment the door opened, a violent wind pressure and tremor roared through from the other side.
Lily raised one foot toward the portal then slowly stepped back.
"Not coming?"
Veyron glanced back at her from the other side of the door.
"Thank you for the offer," Lily said, shaking her head gently. "I really do want to see Miss Fubuki's power up close. And I believe you'd be able to keep me safe even in a battle like that… But if I showed up on a battlefield at that level, it might distract her."
"I'd rather stay behind… and start preparing a victory feast for her return."
After all, as Fubuki's assistant, her role was to support her—not to be dead weight.
That was the vow she made on the day the Blizzard Group disbanded—when she chose to keep following Fubuki on her own, no longer as a subordinate, but as someone who believed in her.
And she wasn't alone in that feeling.
Lily thought back to a recent news broadcast—former Blizzard Group members had just successfully taken down a Demon-level threat, using the same combat formations they'd trained in together.
When interviewed by reporters, they left a gap right in the center of their formation—empty, but clearly booked.
Taking a deep breath, Lily slowly exhaled.
Eyelashes… Mountain Ape…
Everyone who once stood beside Fubuki had seen that giant shadow looming over her. And now, they were all doing what they could—not as nameless subordinates, but as individuals in their own right—to keep moving forward…
Still chasing after her.
.
.
.